How high to jump?

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angela_l_b

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Hi all! I have just bought a lovely sweet youngster - rising 5, he is very sane and sensible most of the time, and schools nicely and pops over little jumps quite happily - he hasn't yet stopped at anything. I have only jumped him up to about 2 foot, maybe 2 foot 3, as I don't want to over-face him and I don't think he has done anything higher than this previously.

I am a bit worried that he doesn't have much scope and I want to event him - I have no reason for thinking this, it's just me worrying!

I am longing to know what he can really do, and want to know if I can start putting the jumps a little higher. I am not talking about really high - maybe 3 foot max for the time being. Is this ok, or do you think he is likely to get scared if the jumps go up?

Or should I loose jump or lunge him so that he can sort himself out without me on top?

What would you do?
 
I dont see much point in jumping a baby horse over 2ft- it wont be developing his technique. I'd have them at about 2'6-2'9 with fillers, water trays, a wide varierty of colours etc
If you want to jump him much bigger then you could either build up to it through a grid or loose school him. I dont jump my baby horses very often until the lead up to a competition as there's so much else to do.
 
Only jump the height YOU are confident doing. Any horse can jump 3ft easily, but he will only get worried if you are worried!! SO do lots of grids and polework, and build up the height as you get more confident.
 
It's a good point - I am not worried myself but I don't want to scare him with it. And really I just want to reassure myself that he actually can jump, having bought him to do that without really knowing he can, and it's not fair on him to make him go higher just to satisfy my curiosity! Of course you are right that grids and lots of different small jumps, shapes, colours etc will do him more good than height.

Thanks!
 
as above.
if you really want to see what he can do, the best thing i've found is to do a nice grid, something like place pole to X pole, 1 stride to small upright, 1 or 2 strides to small parallel. when you are sure he's happy with it, and the distances are spot on, gradually raise the height and increase the width of the final fence... judiciously, of course! because the approach is governed by the grid, and the distance is right, he should be totally confident and able to use himself, and you can just ride him calmly forward. on a rising 5 year old, as long as he's well balanced etc, i'd be happy to do that and get the final fence to 3'3", maybe even with back bar at 3'6" if i'm sure he was 100% over it while it was smaller.
 
I would loose jump him first, so he can figure himself out without worrying about you. When used properly, loose schooling is very effective for schooling young horses, it takes the pressure off of having to carry a rider.

I dont, however, think it should be used to see how high your horse will go..as in push him over some horrible scary 1.30 jump!!!!

I would go up a couple of inches on the latter part of your combinations first - continue doing 2" courses, but put the back end of your double up a few inches. Once you are happy with that I would crank them up a few holes....build his confidence gradually and dont over face him all at once.

I dont think you have much to worry about really, you should just take it slowly
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Agree with the others, bigger fences but making it nice and easy for him would be better, give him something to jump!

The very first time i jumped my 4 yr old, we finished up over about 1m (3'3), only simple exercises, single fences with trot/canter poles on the ground to help place him and make it easy for him to pop.
 
My boy started jumping as a 5yo in the May of that year, and jumped his first Newcomers by the November. It's really down to the horse as they're all different, and what you're comfortable doing - if you work at a rate you're both comfortable at you're far less likely to scare either neddy or you - enjoy!
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I think as a rising 5yo, Id expect him to be jumping bigger. I backed a 4yo 13hh pony last year, after 6 months he was easily popping 2'6 no problem and he's only titchy! I think you just have to see how the horse is about moving up, dont rush it but also dont be too careful, its very easy to keep thinking "Oh he's only a baby" and before you know it he's a 7yo having done not much!
 
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